Soft collar



Aug. 8, 1933. e. B. GALBRAITH SOFT COLLAR Filed Sept. 19, 1931 GORDON 5. GA LERA/ TH Q Er Patented Aug. 8, 1933 SOFT COLLAR Gordon B. Galbraith, Roselle, N. J.

Application September 19, 1931 Serial No. 563,761

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of a soft collar, whether used separately or integrally with the shirt, but for the purpose of illustration, it is shown in attachment with 5 the shirt.

I am aware of the fact that numerous attempts have been made to stiffen soft collars, particularly the ends, so as to make the ends lie straight; i. e., without curling, and thereby present a much neater appearance.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide an improved stiffeningmeans for the ends or points of the collar.

Another object of my invention is to generally improve the construction and appear ance of the collar.

My invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of one form of my improved stiffening device used in the collar.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on the line 22 of Figure l, but showing the parts of the stiffener spread to receive an assembly tool.

Figure 3 is a View of one end of a collar showing the first step in the construction thereof.

Figure 4 is a view of the right-hand end of Figure 3, showing the strips of fabric, used in making the collar, in separated position at one edge.

Figure 5 is a view showing part of the finished collar attached to the shirt.

In the various views of the drawing, wherein like numbers refer to the corresponding parts, the collar is shown as composed of three strips of fabric, 1, 2, and 3, the strip 1 preferably being of coarser and stiffer material than strips 2 and 3. The strip 1 is on the outside, as

indicated in Figures 3 and 4, and is notched 40 out at the extreme point as indicated by lines 4 and 5. The pieces of fabric are then stitched along the lines 6 and 7. Preferably all of the pieces of fabric at the extreme point of the collar are cut somewhat on a taper, as indicated by the lines 8 and 9. By the use of this construction, I provide a space for the fabric of the different strips when the collar, as above formed, is turned in reverse position from that indicated in Figures 3 and 4, so that bunching 00 of the fabric is avoided; and when the stiffener to be described is inserted, a flat, smooth, pointed collar is obtained. After the stitches 6 and '7 have been applied, the collar is turned so that the piece, now shown on the outside, is on the inside between the two finish strips 2 and 3. The ends of the collar are then ready to receive the stifiener which is indicated in Figures 1 and 2.

As shown in Figure 1, the stiffener is made from a piece of relatively stiff fabric preferably treated with a chemical of such a nature as to enable the stiffener to maintain its stiffness over a long period of time, or for the life of the shirt. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blank from which the stiffener is made is shaped something like an arrowhead in which the two barbs form the sides 10 of the stiffener after it is folded over along the line 11, it being understood that the part 12 of the stiffener is twice the width of that shown in Figure 1, before the folding operation takes place.

After the stiffener has been folded to the form shown in Figure 1, the part 10 is then stitched along the line 13 and the stiffener is then ready to receive a tool, preferably a flat triangular- 7 shaped piece of steel, which can be readily inserted into the pocket formed by the folded parts of the portions 10 and 12, as a slight pressure on these portions toward each other, will cause the fabric to bulge out at the points 14 and 15. The collar which has been turned, as previously noted, can then be pulled on over the stiffener supported by said tool; or the tool with the stiffener thereon may be forced into the pocket formed in the end of the collar to receive the stiffener.

It will be noted that the stiffener is made with a relatively sharp point 16 which can be inserted into the extreme point of the collar 9 as indicated inFigure 5, after which the stiffener is stitched into position by the stitch seams 17 and 18.

If desired, the blank for the stiffener may be made in the form of a triangle, without cutting away the material, the third side of the triangle being indicated by the broken line 19, between the portions 10 and 11, and the fabric is then bent along what approximately corresponds to the altitude of the triangle, after which the stitching 13 is put in, thereby providing a stiffener into which the assembly tool may be inserted about as already described.

By using the means and process'above d scribed, I have secured a much improved collar, which will maintain its original shape continuously.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A soft collar having a plural-ply V-shaped stiffening piece of fabric secured along two edges but open along the third edge and having a relatively sharp point extending to the extremity of the point of the collar and sewed thereto Within the strips of fabric comprising the collar.

2. The process of making a soft collar which consists in cutting a plurality of strips of fabric to substantially the shape of the collar, the extreme points being cut back slightly, one of said strips being a liner of stiff material and having its extreme points notched out, placing the strips one above the other, the liner being on the out side, stitching the strips together along one edge and the ends, then turning the collar inside out, cutting a piece of stiffened fabric to the desired shape, folding said last-mentioned piece on substantially its central axis into a two-ply, V-shaped stiilfener, and then stitching the free edge, placing said V-shaped stiffener on a suitable tool, then pulling the end of the collar over said tool carrying the stiffener until the point of the stiffener is forced into the extreme point of the collar, and then finally stitching the edge and end of the collar through all of said strips and the stifiener.

3. The process of making a soft collar having a substantially permanent, perfect, stiffened point which consists in forming a relatively sharp V-shaped device from stiifening fabric, and then inserting said device by a pointed tool into the extreme point of the collar made to receive said device, said device being then stitched in the collar in this inserted position.

4. The process of making a soft collar which consists in taking a plurality of plies of material, one of said plies being of stiller material than the other and being notched at the extreme points, all of said plies being somewhat tapered at both sides of and adjacent the notch at each end of the collar, initially stitching them along one side and end and then reversing the plies, preparing a special V-shaped stiffener of a piece of stiff fabric folded over and stitching the same along one side to form a pocket, then inserting a tool into the pocket and thereafter forcing the stiffener by the tool into the extremity of the pocket formed in the collar by turning the plies to correct position and then stitching the stiffener in position along the end and side or" the collar.

GORDON B. GALBRAITH. 

